Wilson Daily Times, 4 December 1918.
Thomas
Thomas takes vacation.
Up from Alabama.
Migrants from Georgia commonly settled in Wilson County. From Alabama, less so. Victor Thomas‘ family were an exception.
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In the 1920 census of Black Creek township, Wilson County: farm Leeman Thomas, 40; wife Louisa, 28; and children Bertha, 9, Lewa, 7, Joseph, 5, Zictor, 4, Alenda, 2, and Sarah, 4 months. All were born in Alabama except Sarah.
In the 1930 census of Saratoga township, Wilson County: widower Lemon Thomas, 50, and children Charlie W., 20, Joe, 18, Victor, 16, Orlanda, 14, Sarah, 12, and Beget, 7.
On 14 August 1937, Victor Thomas, 21, of Stantonsburg, son of Leamon and Louisa Thomas, married Ola Farmer, 24, of Stantonsburg, daughter of Gusta and Matilda Farmer, in Wilson. Marcellus Farmer applied for the license.
In the 1950 census of Stantonsburg, Wilson County: farmer Victor Thomas, 37; wife Ora, 38; and children Dorothy G., 15, Minnie L., 12, Bertha L., 11, Willie L., 7, Victor Jr., 5, Robert, 3, Romme, 2, and Erline, 1.
Victor Thomas died 30 May 1994 in Wilson.
The obituary of James Thomas.
Wilson Daily Times, 24 September 1943.
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On 23 October 1923, James Thompson [sic], 24, of Wilson, son of Isaac and Lizzie Thompson, married Ora Bunch, 23, of Wilson, daughter of Ned and Malissie Bunch, at Ned Bunch’s residence. Missionary Baptist minister Fred M. Davis performed the ceremony in the presence of Mina Crawford, H.D. Beckwith, and Paul Hargrove.
In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 526 Lodge, wood sawer James Thomas, 29; wife Ora, 28; and children Mary, 4, and William, 2.
In the 1928 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Thomas James (c; Ora) driver h 524 S Lodge
In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 524 South Lodge, owned and valued at $2000, grocery store merchant James Thomas, 41; wife Ora, 38; and children Mary E., 14, William H., 12, and Williard, 11.
In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 524 Lodge, James Thomas, 50, truck driver for own fish business, and wife Ora, 46, tobacco factory laborer.
James Thomas died 22 September 1943 in Goldsboro, Fork township, Wayne County, N.C. Per his death certificate, he was about 54 years old; was born in Wilson County; was married to Ora Thomas; lived at 524 Lodge Street, Wilson; worked as a tobacco factory laborer; and was buried in Rountree Cemetery [probably Vick Cemetery], Wilson. [Note, however, that there is a double headstone for James and Ora Bunch Thomas in Rest Haven Cemetery.]
In memoriam: Louis Sanford Thomas III.
Louis Sanford Thomas III passed last week. His hand-lettered signs were instantly recognizable across Wilson. In an era of computer-generated signs, Thomas’ work in this time-honored form brought a particular pleasure. May he rest in peace.
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At age 69, Louis Thomas was born well after the era covered by Black Wide-Awake. His roots were deep in East Wilson, though, as he was the great-grandson of press operator Charlie Thomas and grandson and son of carpenters Louis Thomas Sr. and Louis Thomas Jr., all of whom lived on East Green Street and the first two of whom were buried in Odd Fellows Cemetery. Too, though expressed in clean, modern fonts, his craft was old-school and rooted in the era of East Wilson’s great artistic tradesmen.
In 2014, Thomas sat for interviews as part of Barton College’s Crossing the Tracks: An Oral History of East and West Wilson series, in which he spoke at length of his family’s history, the accomplishments of East Wilson’s tradesmen and professionals, and the community’s emphasis on education and religion.
Snaps, no. 99: Flora Thomas Knight.
Flora Thomas Knight (1892-1943).
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In the 1900 census of Gardners township, Wilson County: farmer Alford Thomas, 36; wife Lou, 18; and children Sallie, 12, Florra, 9, and Mary T., 6 months; and servant Cora White, 17.
On 26 January 1908, Colonel Knight, 22, of Wayne County, son of George and Louisa Knight, married Flora Thomas, 18, of Wayne County, daughter of Alfred and Nelie Thomas, in Goldsboro, Wayne County.
In the 1910 census of Gardners township, Wilson County: farmer Colonel Knight, 24; wife Flora, 20; and son Willie, 1.
In the 1920 census of Gardners township, Wilson County: farmer Colonel Knight, 34; wife Flora, 28; and children Willie, 11, Nelia, 8, George, 7, Colonel, 4, and Percy, 2.
In the 1930 census of Wilson, Wilson County: at 717 Vance Street, Cullon Knight, 44; wife Flora, 37; and children Willie, 21, odd jobs laborer; George, 18, baker; Cullon Jr., 16, bakery delivery boy; Percy, 13; and Gladys, 9.
In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Connel Knight, 55, tobacco factory laborer; wife Flora, 48; and children Percy, 23, chauffeur; Neal, 29, tobacco factory laborer; and Gladys, 19, tobacco factory laborer; grandsons Rudolph Ward, 13, and Ben Sellers, 3; and lodger Sylvester Woodard, 33, meat market delivery man.
Flora Knight died 15 December 1943 in Wilson. Per her death certificate, she was born 15 January 1892 in Wilson County to Alfred Thomas and Nealie Hagans; was married to Colonel Knight; lived at 706 Stantonsburg Street; and was buried in Rountree Cemetery. Gladis Hines was informant.
Photo courtesy of Ancestry.com user ______.
The death of Charlie Thomas.
Wilson Daily Times, 21 August 1945.
Wilson Daily Times, 22 August 1945.
Wilson Daily Times, 28 August 1945.
Charlie Thomas was a longtime employee of the Gold family of newspaper publishers. Though his family had a plot in Odd Fellows — his wife Sarah Best Thomas and son Louis Thomas were buried there — his obituary reports that he was buried in Rest Haven. His death certificate, on the other hand, lists Rountree Cemetery is his place of burial (which meant, of course, Odd Fellows Cemetery) and, in fact, there is a marker in Odd Fellows engraved with his name and the order’s triple links.
411 New Bern Street.
The one hundred-fifty-fourth in a series of posts highlighting buildings in East Wilson Historic District, a national historic district located in Wilson, North Carolina. As originally approved, the district encompasses 858 contributing buildings and two contributing structures in a historically African-American section of Wilson. (A significant number have since been lost.) The district was developed between about 1890 to 1940 and includes notable examples of Queen Anne, Bungalow/American Craftsman, and Shotgun-style architecture. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1988.
As described in the nomination form for the East Wilson Historic District, this building is: “ca. 1922; 1 story; Elijah Kane [sic, King] house; double-pile, hip-roofed cottage with center gable and hip-roofed porch; a late and simply classical example of the type in the district; contributing auto garage.”
The house at 411 New Bern Street is the oldest on its block. It is shown below in detail from the 1922 Sanborn fire insurance map of Wilson. [Note the misspelling of “Mewborn,” the original name of New Bern Street. Mewborn is a surname locally associated with a northern Wayne County extended family. Note also that Rountree Street was originally called Bardin Avenue.]
In the 1928 Hill’s Wilson, N.C., city directory: Thomas Annie (c) lndrs h 411 New Bern. In the 1930 city directory, the address was listed as vacant.
In the 1940 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Elijah King, 29, laborer with Privett Contractors; wife Emma, 28; and sons George, 9, Elijah, 7, and Richard, 5.
In 1940, Elijah King registered for the World War II draft. Per his registration card, he was born 13 May 1910 in Wilson County; lived at 411 New Bern Street; his contact was wife Emma King; and he worked for C.C. Rackley, building contractor.
The Kings mortgaged their home in 1940. They defaulted and, in the spring of 1946, it was advertised for auction on the courthouse steps. King was able to buy the house back on 16 April 1946, but in 1948 he and his second wife, Sudie Mae King, took out another mortgage for $400. This debt was paid off successfully, and 411 New Bern Street remained the Kings’ property until it was sold after Elijah’s death in 1980.
Wilson Daily Times, 14 March 1946.
Elijah James King Sr. died 10 January 1980 in Wilson. Per his death certificate, he was born 13 May 1910 in Wilson County to Oscar Ellis and Ella King; was a widower; had worked as a carpenter; and lived at 411 New Bern Street.
Photo by Lisa Y. Henderson, April 2022.
Pfc. Thomas writes his family.
Wilson Daily Times, 26 December 1918.
Wilson Daily Times, 27 December 1918.
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The Daily Times published a handful of letters from African-American soldiers written during World War I, including these from Elton Thomas and two from Arthur N. Darden.
Despite their hopes, Thomas and his buddies did not get home until March 1919. Dave Barnes suffered the effects of his gas attack the rest of his life. This history of Company H, 365th Infantry’s battles in France suggests that the date of injury was November 10, not the 18th.
This service card provides details of Thomas’ time in the Army.
North Carolina World War I Service Cards, 1917-1919, www.ancestry.com
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- Elton Thomas
In the 1900 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Charlie Thomas, 38, printing office pressman; wife Sarah, 33; children Elton, 9, Louis, 8, Elizabeth, 6, and Hattie May, 2; and lodgers Manse Wilson, 36, and Johnnie Lewis, 21, both carpenters.
In the 1908 Wilson, N.C., city directory: Thomas Elton (c) lather h 616 E Green
In the 1910 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Charlie Thomas, 49, laborer for printing office; wife Sarah, 44; and children Elton, 20, Lizzie, 18, Louis, 15, Hattie M., 11, Mary, 5, and Sarah, 1 month.
In 1917, Elton Thomas registered for the World War I draft. Per his registration card, he was born 17 July 1889 in Wilson; lived at 616 East Green Street; was single; and worked as lathing contractor for Kittrell & Wilkins.
In the 1920 census of Wilson, Wilson County: Clarence Dawson, 23, barber; wife Elizabeth, 22; and daughter Eris, 2; widower father-in-law Charley Thomas, 59; brother-in-law Clifton Venters, 24, his wife Hattie, 20; and in-laws Elton, 29, Marie, 15, Sarah, 10, and Beatrice Thomas, 8.
In the 1927, 1929, 1930, 1934, and 1942 Newark, New Jersey, city directories, Elton H. Thomas is listed at several addresses, including 117 Summer Avenue, 105 Somerset Avenue, and 109 Sherman Avenue.
In 1942, Elton Henry Thomas registered for the World War II draft in Newark, Essex County, New Jersey. Per his registration card, he was born 15 August 1894 in Wilson; resided at 108 Sherman Road, Newark; his contact was Charles Thomas, 619 East Green Street, Wilson; and worked for Julius Rose, 327 Amherst Street, Orange, New Jersey.
On 27 November 1947, Elton Thomas, 52, of Wilson, son of Charlie and Sarah Best Thomas, married Rebecca Williams, 44, of 804 East Vance Street, Wilson, daughter of Solomon and Lettie Kittrell in Wilson. Free Will Baptist minister E.H. Cox performed the ceremony in the presence of Lillie J. Thomas, 715 East Green; Harold E. Gay, 623 East Green; and Louis Thomas Jr., 715 East Green.
Elton Thomas died 15 December 1970 in Goldsboro, N.C. Per his death certificate, he was born 5 July 1891 to Charlie Thomas and Sarah Best; was married to Rebecca Thomas; resided in Wilson; and had worked in lathing construction.
- Miss Richardson
- Rev. Coward — Bryant P. Coward, pastor of Saint John A.M.E. Zion Church.
Tributes to Sarah Best Thomas.
Wilson Daily Times, 19 August 1916.
Sarah Best Thomas‘ gravestone is among those that remain standing in Odd Fellows Cemetery.
Clipping courtesy of J. Robert Boykin III.